Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-07

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people argue that primary schools focus too much on formal learning.

To what extent do you agree with this opinion?

How important do you think it is for children to play as well as learn in the primary school classroom?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

In many areas of the world, people believe that primary schools are focusing on theoratical knowledge while neglecting to include the informal learning in their curriculum. I totally agree with the stance. Although formal education is significant for children to secure a professional job in the future, but including games and informal task during the course will evolve students' social abilities, which will help them to interact with others in a more formal way.

To commence with, I believe that primary schools are giving more importance to formal teaching as compare to informal classroom settings. Most of the curriculum of primary schools is based on theoratical subjects. These subjects are quite tough according to the age of the students. It requires a lot of time to make them understand the included topics which will demand teacher to complete the course as soon as possible. Teachers cannot spare enough time to include any type of physical or brainstorming activity during the class. So, schools often set aside the informal activities in order to complete the course.

However, it is highly significant to include interactive games in the syllabus because it will prove helpful for students to understand a concept more easily. This type of partical knowledge remains memorable as students are actually doing it instead of just writing, reading or memorizing it. Beside, students will learn how to interact, collaborate with their class fellows and how to engage themselves in a teamwork. These social capabilities will eventually help them to become a noble person of the society.

In conclusion, I totally agree with the statement that primary schools are focusing too much on formal learning. One of the main cause is the large amount of syllabus to cover during the school year. It will force them to negect to perform informal activities. But, it is very important for the students to learn their lesson while doing some physical activity because it will enhance their social abilities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the extent of agreement regarding the focus on formal learning and the importance of play. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that formal subjects are 'tough' and 'require a lot of time,' this could be expanded with more specific examples of how this pressure manifests in a typical classroom. Similarly, the benefits of play are mentioned, but the argument could be strengthened by explaining the link between play and cognitive development more deeply. Overall, the response is relevant and covers all requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence with,' 'However,' and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the use of 'It' in 'It requires a lot of time,' where the antecedent is slightly ambiguous. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, though the connection between the conclusion and the body paragraphs could be more tightly integrated to ensure a more sophisticated flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'curriculum,' 'social capabilities,' and 'collaborate.' There are some spelling errors, such as 'theoratical' (theoretical) and 'partical' (practical), and some awkward collocations like 'noble person of the society.' While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, the inaccuracies in spelling and word choice prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on mastering the spelling of academic terms and ensuring that phrases sound natural in an English context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'as compare to' (should be 'compared to'), 'the informal learning' (unnecessary article), and the redundant 'but' in the first paragraph ('Although... but'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and subject-verb agreement issues, such as 'One of the main cause' (should be 'causes'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring accuracy is the next step for improvement.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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